The embodiment relates generally to apparatus suspension systems and one embodiment more specifically relates to an apparatus suspension system for eliminating the need to tightly grasp, grip or clench any apparatus (i.e. sports racket, hammer, device, instrument, tennis racquet, squash racquet, racquetball racquet, badminton racquet, lacrosse stick, etc), by producing an apparatus suspension mechanism eliminating the need of a grip required from the hand, wrist and the arm.
In racket sports for instance, up until now, it has been required that the user tightly grip the apparatus. With this embodiment, the user has an added competitive edge, thrill and mental competitive advantage to game play by not having to clasp the apparatus and instead, the device clasps the apparatus for them and thus does the hard work for them.
This embodiment is classified in a field of prior art, where the focus has been gripping the apparatus to try to make it easier to learn to use the device properly, to carry out play or its intended use and to possibly win more games or more successfully use the implement.
The difference in this embodiment, i.e., not gripping the apparatus, carries great weight. First, this embodiment is contrary to the teachings and scope of the prior art, where gripping is the key. This is because the advantage of letting go of an apparatus, like a racket in tennis for example, while hitting say a ball, has not been possible or implemented in the history of gameplay like in tennis, racket ball or similar activities. This embodiment solves many long felt, long-existing and unsolved needs and thereby provides unprecedented advantages to the user.
This embodiment successfully solves a problem that has been heretofore unsolvable which would be to have control of an apparatus without gripping it and still increase game play or the use of the device for its intended purposes. This embodiment omits elements in the prior art, for instance inventions that involve gripping paraphernalia, gloves and finger-type devices, whose focus was on helping the user grip the apparatus. This embodiment is opposite in that its focus is on not having the user grip the apparatus, but rather on having the user let go of the apparatus while greatly increasing the capability of the user.
What has not been achieved in the prior art is the feeling, knowledge or fact that the user does not have to hold on to the apparatus. The reason this is important is that it allows the user to experience new sensations and mental perspectives about participating in the activity or sport and experience the feeling of freedom that the user experiences when they understand that they do not have to do the work to hold the apparatus, driving unprecedented mental advantage, enthusiasm, excitement, and creativity in the intended activity or as in tennis, game play. Thus it makes the user feel differently about the game, i.e., have a more positive attitude toward the situation, which is key to optimizing the use or the implement and winning.
This embodiment solves a problem that has never been recognized before which is gripping the apparatus in any form produces a more unnatural situation and sensation that actually results in poorer use of the device or in tennis, game play. This may seem counter intuitive in that many inventions have focused on the user “gripping” the apparatus. However, the act of gripping is what causes the user problem, limiting their use of the apparatus as well as the quality of the experience when using the apparatus. Other inventions focused on trying to solve the problem of “gripping” by modifying the way the user “grips” the device. Other inventions did not try to resolve the ability to “not” grip the device, whereas this embodiment specifically uncovers and solves the notion that not gripping the device actually results in better use and results in better outcomes when using the apparatus.
When a user utilizes an apparatus, they would normally be required to grip the apparatus with their hand. This embodiment allows the user to use the apparatus without gripping it.
In particular, but not limited to the field of rackets used for sports, for instance tennis, racquetball, squash and the like, the apparatus or the handle is shaped as cylindrical, oval, rectangular or octagonal member and requires the user to grip the handle. Other prior art finds fault with the racket handle in that it does not provide enough tactile indication for the orientation of the face of the racket. A small error in the angle of the racket can produce a large error in the trajectory of the ball when struck by the racket. In addition, other prior art finds fault with how the user grips the apparatus or handle in that it becomes slippery, due to perspiration, requiring the user to grip the apparatus or handle even more tightly during play and this in turn can lead to fatigue of the hand, arm, shoulder and the player as well as such things like blisters and the like and possible permanent damage to the body.
This embodiment does not find fault with the racket's ability to provide tactile indication or to solve slipperiness of the racket handle due to perspiration because the user does not grip the handle but rather the flexible suspension system secures the racket handle in place and fingers loosely act as guides. The issue of perspiration and a slippery racket is solved in this embodiment, because there is plenty of air surrounding the hand and the apparatus or racket handle.
This embodiment also solves the issue of tactile indication in several ways. In normal play, a racket has a limited, small area on the racket face called the sweet spot. It is the intention of players to hit the sweet spot on a regular basis because this is where the optimal power and control of the racket emanates from. However, this is difficult for even the most advanced player to do consistently.
Every aspect of the game is influenced by what the user is thinking, feeling or focusing on and their ability for mental concentration. Control of the mind and emotions is critical. One issue, in tennis, is the user's awareness of the center of the racket or sweet spot. The issue for most players is that they are not easily and/or repeatedly aware of the sweet spot and therefore they are not regularly hitting the ball optimally. In fact, most players rarely hit the “sweet spot.” Not only is hitting the sweet spot necessary for better game play, but it provides the player with an exaggerated feeling of physical and mental well-being or euphoria/rapture.
Other prior art fails to advance the art and address the issue of consistently hitting the sweet spot of the racket by not gripping the racket handle. This embodiment makes it easier for the user to find and hit the sweet spot on a continual basis. Often users are told to “relax” so that they can play in the “zone” or in the ideal mental performance state. Conventional advice to players consists of telling them to shut off their minds or tire themselves out so as to tap into the subconscious mind to play in the “zone.” Tapping into the subconscious mind is difficult when the mind is focused on gripping and managing an unnatural device in one's hand, such as a racket and readying themselves to hit the ball as hard as they can, resulting in a paradox. The placement of a racket handle within the hand normally requires that the user grip it, but by doing so the user becomes less aligned with their body and more aligned with holding onto the racket handle. This shift in focus and physicality means that the user is now in an unnatural state.
With this embodiment, the user is in a more natural state and remains aligned with their body. The racket is secured to the hand by the suspension system and results in a sensation where the racket feels like a natural extension of their hand and arm. This more natural feeling provides the user with a greater degree of comfort and a new dimension of mental freedom. This mental freedom allows the user to experience a superior ability to concentrate on things other than holding the racket, thereby increasing their game play capabilities. In this embodiment, the user experiences a liberating sensation that heretofore has not been possible because they were focusing on and gripping the racket handle; instead with this embodiment the user increases their awareness, perception, consciousness and responsiveness to both optimally hitting the ball towards their opponent as well as optimally responding to the ball hit by the opponent towards the user and utilizing the sweetspot more consistently.
When a user employs this embodiment, they are in a constant state of relaxation, where they are able tap into the subconscious mind and hit in the “zone.” As a result of this advanced state of mind, their reactions and accuracy improve allowing them to consistently hit the “sweet spot.” Instead of the user having an occasional and haphazard strike on the “sweet spot” they are now able to consistently make this a repeatable action because the user hits the sweet spot more often, the user is able to get into the groove, training the mind and this mental memory is engrained to this new pattern, thus advancing their game play as well as their confidence, concentration and desire to continue to play.
Another aspect of this embodiment is its affect on the affective size of the sweet spot. The softest part of the racket face, the sweet spot, is the center. When the racket handle is held rigidly, the sweet spot is in its smallest diameter. When the racket handle is suspended with a flexible-member suspension system and the player miss hits the ball, missing the sweetspot, with this embodiment the shock is not transferred to the player because the suspension system absorbs the shock and thereby effectively increases the affective area of the sweet spot of the racket. In this embodiment, because the user is not gripping the racket handle, the effective sweet spot area is essentially increased, increasing the optimal power and control of the racket and advances the user's game play and euphoric feeling which advances their game mind and mental state of mind.
When a user grips the racket handle, and misses the sweet spot it sends a shocking reverb to the user's hand. If the user does not have to grip the apparatus and misses the sweet spot, as in this embodiment, the user experiences less of a shocking reverb, reducing the exhaustion of the arm, hand, shoulder and body and reducing the feeling of physical and mental defeat or discouragement. Because the player hits the sweet spot more often, they have more control over the gameplay and the user will want to play more often, resulting in better overall health, fitness, positive mental state of mind and wellness and could reduce the level of obesity in the world, where obesity related medical costs at the time of this writing in the US alone are ˜$160 Billion/year and diseases like diabetes, at a cost to the US at $174 Billion/year.
Another aspect of this embodiment is the affect it has on the mindset of the player. Often times when someone is looking to pick up the sport, they find it difficult to advance their play. This embodiment increases the confidence, enthusiasm, pleasure and desire of the user to continue to play and thus provides the necessary encouragement for those who would have ordinarily given up because they could not consistently hit the sweet spot, making the embodiment a more commercially viable and tennis and the like a more wide spread activity.
Another aspect of this embodiment is the affect on the user's charka system. When the user hits the sweet spot on a regular basis, that action transfers energy to the body and the interaction serves to align the body's chakras or energy centers, so as to result in better mental centeredness and alignment. Tennis can then become a method for all levels of players to experience enhanced mental balance and alignment. The repeated action of Charka alignment provides the user with a strong sense of well-being such that they will want to play more often, resulting in enhanced physical health. In addition, because players will want to play more often, this increased volume of players and playing will drive economics by the way of the need for the production of more tennis rackets, balls, tennis shoes, and the like, making this embodiment a economically feasible product and this has the effective of enhancing the economic climate of all countries who deploy this embodiment.
A racket handle is designed with a specific shape for a specific purpose. For instance, octagonal member of a tennis handle is designed to optimally fit in the palm of the user. The top, the bottom, and the 3-sided flatten areas of the racket handles are designed so that there are no sharp edges and so it coincides with an efficient and comfortable feel. The larger, flatten sides of the racket handle provides the user knowledge of where the face of the racket is pointed. The bell part of the racket provides resistance against the lower palm so as not to leave the user's hand.
While other prior art seeks to change the shape of the racket handle, our embodiment allows the user to optimize use of the racket with the original design of the racket handle, where the racket handle design has been optimized in certain ways for specific reasons, without changing it. This embodiment therefore takes advantage of the handle or apparatus's specific, preferred and perfect shape. The problem is not with the design of the apparatus or handle, but rather that the prior art has not figured out how best to provide a system for the user to hold onto and swing the racket without having to grip it so as to not loose hold of the racket in the swinging process and/or control the racket to complete the intended gameplay correctly. The other prior art tries to change that “perfect” shape of the handle or apparatus because their focus is on tighter or more effective apparatus or handle “gripping” by the user. In this embodiment, the apparatus does the gripping for the user.
In this embodiment, the user's palm and the index finger, the middle finger, the connector finger and the pinky finger and the thumb or any combination of fingers can be used by the suspension system and provides a closed, yet flexible connector or net that secures the apparatus and as such, allows for the optimal use that apparatus or handle as it was designed and intended for.
Attempts have been made in the prior art to modify the handle of the racket to overcome the problems of excessive perspiration or grip effectiveness. Those modifications include, but are not limited to finger grooves which are in the form of a handle or an apparatus member that receives the fingers and/or thumbs of the user. Although the finger/thumb grooves may increase frictional engagement with the hand of the player, they do not necessarily increase the tactical perception of the angle of the face of the racket. The finger receiving grooves require custom creation based on the different sized hands and finger/thumb spacing of each individual. The multiplicity of size and configuration prevents the practical and/or profitable distribution of these forms of the racket and or the apparatus.
This embodiment does not require that the user modify the racket handle, i.e., to take the racket apart, drill holes in the racket, attach grips or finger groves or the like, but instead takes advantage of the perfect design of the racket handle “as is” and uses it to its highest degree by being a ready-to-use product without any modification to this embodiment or the racket or its handle.
In addition, the finger groove apparatuses in the prior art must be able to receive both the right and left hand, as it is impossible for the fingers of the left hand to fit into the grooves for the right hand and vice versa. Thus the users would have to stop play in the middle of game play and take off the finger groove and place the correct one for, say the right hand when using for right-handed swing, and then need to stop game play and put on a left-handed finger groove when using a left-handed swing. This makes that prior art impossible to use during ordinary play and commercially unviable.
In some sports like tennis, users may change their grip on the racket for backhand and forehand strokes. Many of the grooved handles in the prior art are adapted to accommodate such a shift in the grip of the player. However, in normal use, players change their grip on the racket more markedly from a western grip to a continental grip to effect top spin, under spin or the like within seconds, making the prior art unpractical as it would take longer to adjust the grip position than allowed in normal game play. A grooved apparatus or handle construction may actually impede the user's ability to quickly shift playing style and technique. And as the market shows, much of the prior art has not been widely adopted by the tennis community as evidenced by the lack of these products being commercially available.
This embodiment, unlike other prior art, fits both right and left hand equally, meaning one size/shape fits all. This eliminates the need to have a left-handed version and a right-handed version and thus makes the device more commercially viable. This embodiment does not require that a user stop the game play and change the device depending on whether they want to use their right or left hand. In addition, it can be instantaneously adjusted when a player wants to change their grip from say a western grip to a continental grip, allowing effective top spin, under spin or the like and therefore not impede the user's ability to shift playing styles and techniques and making it a commercially viable option.
One of the issues in game play is that when a user swings, they must retain the racket at the end of the stroke, rendering the stroke less powerful than it would be if the user could let go of the racket. The requirement to grip the racket, lest it would fly out of their hand and across the court, causes the user to devote their attention and energy into the retention of the racket at the end of a stroke. This retention of the racket is not something that users are aware of because there has never been any other option but to grip the apparatus or racket handle and as a result it is commonly accepted that you have to grip the apparatus or racket handle and gripping is “what you have to do” so you don't send the racket flying across the court.
Therefore, the user can't take advantage of a full stroke, of any kind, and instead stops the stroke from going full force because of this need to grip the racket. In this embodiment, because the user has the choice to continue gripping the racket as they always have (old school method) or let go of the racket. With this choice, they are not encumbered by having to quickly learn something new (i.e., not gripping) and can ease into learning this new behavior and stroke at whatever learning pace is comfortable for them. The user does not have to grip the racket and gains an advantage in that strokes can be rendered with their full force, because the user is no longer concerned and preoccupied with the racket flying out of their hand.
In gripping the racket tightly so as to not lose a grip on it, the user looses the finesse of holding the racket correctly for specific shots, for example; but not limited to wrist pronation on a serve. Wrist pronation on a serve is when the user uses the wrist as a hinge point, it keeps the head and body straight in the air, resulting in more accurate shots by being able to more accurately hit the sweet spot.
The head and body alignment is critical in sports and directly affects game play. This embodiment allows for the perfect head-body alignment. In game play, the body follows the positioning of the head. The position of the head not only guides the rest of the body weight in an activity, it also determines the most effective weight distribution of the body when the racket impacts the ball. It's this weight distribution of the body, in part, which provides the velocity and power of a shot. So for instance, if one weighs 180 lbs, with the correct weight distribution, i.e., alignment of the head and body, the user has effectively 180 lbs of body weight for the shot. If the player “clubs” the ball or at impact, redistributes the body weight or head/body alignment in an less effective positioning, the result is something less than the 180 lbs of body weight available for the shot and results in a less powerful, slower shot.
A human head weighs approximately 11 pounds. If the 11 pounds of the head is motionless during play, then the player will have full use of the 11 pounds of the head to direct the rest of the body for full impact when the racket and the ball connect, which is the desired, maximum efficiency state. For example, in prior art when the user grips the racket, the natural inclination is for the user to use their shoulder, arm and chest to forcibly drive the ball, and whose action pulls the head out of the correct position and results in a “clubbing” action of the ball and an inferior shot. With this embodiment the user's need to grip the racket is gone and uniquely allows the user to use a hinged-wrist motion when hitting the ball. It's this hinged-wrist motion, which is difficult to impossible for even the most advanced player to obtain when gripping the racket, that eliminates the need for the player to use their shoulder, arm and chest in that clubbing action. With the clubbing action eliminated the head-body weight distribution is more easily aligned and the sweetspot zone affect ensues and produces superior shots.
The head and eye coordination in sports is extremely important in that the eyes must be optimally focused on the ball upon impact. During a serve or a swing, for more accuracy, to optimize the shot, the player must keep the head perfectly still or motionless during the swing so as to keep the eyes focused on the “square inch of the ball.” The “square inch of the ball” is the area of the ball that the racket contacts during any stroke. So if the head is not motionless, then when the user is setting up to hit the sweet spot, the eyes which should be focused on the “square inch of the ball” are pulled away from that spot and that leads to a less accurate shot. In this embodiment, the head-eye coordination is more accurate and so is the shot because the user doesn't have to grip the racket, and this with the combined ability to now use a hinged-wrist motion and resulting in relaxed, overall state of being and mind eliminates the clubbing action.
Another object of this embodiment is the ability to provide the player with an added mental dimension of the game as experienced by players in football or baseball whereas quarterbacks or pitchers actually release the ball from their grasp. In this embodiment the same action, meaning the ability to completely release the racket can be accomplished. What this provides is a new perspective on the mental strategy of the game. Without this embodiment, the player must concentrate on maintaining a tight grasp of the racket. Maintaining a tight grasp on the racket not only causes strain on the users muscles, but also joints and can cause errors in stroke production. The ability to release the racket provides the user with increased confidence, clarity and ability to put their mental attention on the accuracy of the stroke whereas without this embodiment, their attention would go to keeping the racket from going out of control.
In gripping the racket so tightly, the user is focused on the grip and not able to effectively keep their eye on the ball. Because this embodiment does not require the user to control the racket, the user, regardless of whether the stroke is an overhead or a backhand or regular stroke or any stroke, has one less thing to think about, leaving their mind and body to focus on the ball. The ability to focus on the ball means that creativity, accuracy and placement of the ball and the shot are enhanced. This advances their game play capabilities so as to be more strategic about where to place the ball and to challenge the opponent and thus win more points.
The game of tennis has largely attracted a smaller audience as compared to other spots, in part, because of the difficulties in learning to play and to become good at it. This embodiment changes the “standing” of the game of tennis and the like, from a sport for an elite few to a game that is easier to play, less complicated, more enjoyable, easier to improve one's performance, easier to win points/game and therefore will drive more players to play, could increase the fitness of the world and those that embark on this path because the user does not have to expend mind concentration or physical energy on gripping the apparatus or racket handle.
The exponential increase in mental freedom and the resulting increased enthusiasm, excitement and creativity allows not only an experienced user to increase their ability to advance their game play, but it also and even more so has this affect on inexperienced players or young children or young adults. Young adults and children who are first introduced to a sport like tennis will often find it difficult to hold the racket, or painful because their young limbs and fingers have not developed the skill or capability for this activity. What results is that young players give-up playing the sport prematurely. This embodiment reduces these issues with young children, young adults, old adults or handicap or impaired person's in that it gives them a sense of fun and accomplishment so that they stick with the sport and don't give up so easily, and instead continue to play into adulthood.
In addition, older folks who have lost strength or have disabilities that impair their range of motion can be discouraged from playing a racket sport. This embodiment allows older folks to either pick up the sport at an older age or if they were a player when they were younger, then they will be able to continue to play for many more years than without these embodiments. This embodiment allows those with damaged limbs, like a rotator cuff or shoulder, wrist, finger injuries to play with less or no pain.